Improvement in ball-target throwers



M, E U ARD Ball-Target Thrower.

Patented May 7,1878.

lINVENTOR Y 'MA/ ATTQRNEY- n. PETERS, PnormLbTuocmPnfa, WASHINGTON, D G,

l To all whom 'it may concern.'

in glass-ball traps for sportsmens use.

' at its upper end, and is provided near its tremity each witha ball, E.

MILTON nonno, or OAznnovrmivnw voranA ,I

4|iin'paO/vialvll-:iwr I'N'BIALL-TARGET THOWERIS. y

S pccication forming part of Letters Patent N o.

203,'1-16, dated May 7, 1878; application filed 'March 9, 1878.

Be it known that I, MILTON E. CARD, of Cazenovia, in the county of Madison and State of New York, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Rotary GlassBall Traps 5 andI do hereby declare that' the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a representation of a side view. Fig. 2 is a sectional view.

This invention has relation to improvements The object of the invention is to construct a trap to which a more or less rapid rotary motion may be imparted, so that the direction of the iiight of the ball will be rendered uncertain, thereby simulating that of a startled bird, and the difficulty of striking the same greatly increased.

In the accompanying drawing, the letter A designates a tripod or base, supporting at its upper part a tubular metallic post, A', of cylindrical form. This post is screw-threaded lower end with an annular bearing, a.

B represents a tubular metallic sleeve, that is passed over the post A and rests upon the bearingdiange a. This sleeve has at its lower end a projecting iiange, It, and has secured to its upper end an ordinary three-branched gasitters coupling-pipe, C, into the horizontal arms of which are screwed the tubular arms D D', of equal length, and provided at its, ex-

The space upon the sleeve B between the flange b and the lower edge of the coupling C, constitutes a drum, to which is rigidly secured, in any suitable manner, a cord, F, which is wound on the said sleeve by imparting a rotary motion to the sleeve by twirling the arms D. i y

The cord F is secured to the sleeve near the flange h, and is carried through a guide, c, `thence through a guide, c', on the base G, and is rigidly secured to the lower end of a rod, H, extending up the bore of the post A', and

pivoted to the power end of a vertically-vr brating bell-crank lever, I, having its fulcrum on the arm D in standards d erected thereon. The weight-arm of this lever extends down through a slot, e, into the interior of the arm D, and is in contact with the end of -a rightangular catch, J, one branch of which is in the bore of the said arm, and the other projects above and below through longitudinal slots f in the upper and lower faces of the arm aforesaid, being prevented from upward displacement by means of a pin, g, extending through the end of the said catch, projecting through the lower slot f of the said arm D.

The vertical arm of the catch J has a barbed head, h, and its horizontal arm is held in contact with the lever I by a spring, s, compressed between the said vertical arm and a screwstop, i, extending diametrically through the arm D aforesaid, as shown in Fig. 2.

L represents a strip-spring, of recurvate form, the short arm of which is passed into the open end of the arm D', and is secured thereto by means of a setscrew, i'. This spring has upon its free end a cup, l, into which the ball is placed, and when thrust down becomes engaged with the barbed head h. The cord F is wound upon the drum by twirling the arms D D', and the lball having been placed in the cup, the attendant seizes upon the said cord near the guide c and draws forcibly thereon, retaining his hold until the lower branch thereof, which. passes through the guide c' and is secured to the draw-rod H,

is tautened. The ball-cup revolves rapidly and in a horizontal plane, Owing to the unwinding of the said` cord, and the catch is disengaged from the spring, allowing it to react and project the ball.

The rotary portion of the trap is prevented from viiyin g Off of the tubular spindle A during its rotation by means oi' a nut, N, screwed upon the upper end of the said spindle, and the said rotary portion is locked to the post A, thus preventing its rotation, by means of a setscrew, S, passing through the coupling C and bearing against the said post.

During the rotation of the trap, at the moment the cord F tautens, the ball is projected by the spring in a direction impossible to foresee, thus closely imitating the uncertain direction of the flight of aV startled bird and rendering the striking of the balls much more difficult. y

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the tubular vertical spindle, the sleeve rotating thereon and having the tubular arms D D, the right-angular catch J, having one branch in arm D, and the other projecting through slots therein, and the spring s, of the projecting spring L, attached. to arm D and adapted to engage catch J the angular lever I engaging the said catch, the rod H extending through the spindle, and the cord F attached at one end to said rod and at the other to the said sleeve, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above -I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses. v

MILTON E. CARD. Witnesses:

CHAS. M. POTTER, CEAS. B. CANNON. 

